Turbine-valve mechanism.



G. WESTINGHOUSE. TURBINE VALVE MECHANISM- APPLICATION men mun-19. 19 !2.

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G. WESTINGHOUSE. TURBINE-VALVE MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, m2.

Patented Nov, 14, 1916.

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fig QAAAAANAAA AAAMQANAA QM vvvvv lvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv w MN m AA QM WITNESSES GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEST- INGHOUSE MACHINE COMPANY, OF EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COB.-

I PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TURBINE-VALVE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTING- HOUSE, a citizen of the United Stateaand a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Invention in Turbine-Valve Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to elastic fluid turbines and more particularly to turbine valves and actuating devices therefor.

An object of this invention is to produce a simple relatively cheap and eflicient valve mechanism for controlling the motive fluid to a number of fluid inlets to one stage of an elastic fluid turbine. This and other objects which will readily appear to one skilled in this art, I attain by means of the devices described in the specification forming a part of this application, and illustrated in the drawings accompanying the same, and throughout the several views of which like elements are denoted by like characters.

In the drawings: Figure 1 'is a view par:

tially in elevation and partially in cross-section of the high pressure end of a turbine embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a developed section taken on the line X X in Fig. 1 looking toward the bottom of the turbine. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the distributing valve proper utilized in connection with this invention. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the balancing or pressure relieving devices employed with said valve. Fig. 5 is a detail view taken online Y Y, Fig. 1, and illustrates the method of connecting said valve and'its actuating device; and Fig. 6 is a detail view taken on broken line Z Z, Fig. 1, showing the distributing valve in cross-section and the main admission valve of the turbine.

The turbine chosen for illustration (without any idea, however, of limiting this invention in its application to turbines of any particular type) is of the impulse type employing three rows 6 of impulse blades with two rows 7 of stationary intermediate guide vanes as is now common practice. The turbine consists of a rotor element 8 which carries the rows 6 of moving blades and which is mounted upon a shaft 9 journaled in suit- 7 able bearings (not shown) and a stator or casing divided on its hor zontal axis 1nto a lower part or cylinder 10 and a cover 11. Cylinder 10 rests upon a base 12 which if 1t 18 deslred may contain the turbine exhaust port. Cylinder 10 is provided with a steam chest divided into two chambers 13 and 14 which extend on arcs of a circle partially around the cylinder; said arcs being coricentric with the turbine rotor. Partitions 15 and 16 lie between the two chambers and a distributing valve 17 shown in perspective 1n Fig. 8 fits within chamber 14 and is adapted to be slid therein to control the distribution of motive fluid to the turbine by means of mechanism hereinafter described.

The chamber 14 is formed by means of a casting 18 secured to the inner side of the cylinder against partitions 15 and 16 by means of fillister-head screws 19. The port 20, which leads from chamber 13 to chamber 14 and which lies between the inner ends of partitions 15 and 16, is narrower across from side to side than the width of valve 17 as shown in Fig. 6; the valve, therefore, rests against the cylinder 10 at 21 and 22. Valve 17 is channel shape in cross-section with the open side in the direction of the exterior of the turbine; that is, the bottom of the valve is open to steam chest chamber 13 while the top of the valve is closed. The top of the valve is channeled out as shown at 23 and the ends are provided with openings 24 which communicate with the ends of chamber 14 so that the ends of chamber 14 will have the same pressure, or substantially the same pressure, as is found within and above the valve.

The valve is provided with a number of distributing ports 25, 26, and 27, and these at times are adapted to register with inlet ports 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 which lead into collecting chambers 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39. The motive fluid admitted to these collecting chambers is expanded through nozzles 40 (there being two for each chamber) so that the motive fluid issuing therefrom acquires the desired velocity and by said nozzles the motive fluid is discharged against the turbine blades by means of which the energy due to the velocity is fractionally abstracted.

In order to give valve 17 more or less flexibility, the valve is bridged across by means of bridges 41 and 42 and these bridges from top to bottom are drilled through as shown at 43 and 44-, and the valve is sawed through from one side to the holes thus formed as shown at 45.

In order to more or less balance the valve so that it will be free to be moved, it is held away from wall d6 which contains the inlet ports 28, 29, etc, by providing these inlets with lips which extend outwardly beyond the face of said wall 46 as shown at :7. I

To prevent the valve from contacting withface 48 of cylinder 10, a number of pressure relieving or balancing devices, shown in detail in Fig. i, are employed. In the present instance three such devices are employed for valve 17. Each consists'of a differentially formed piston 50 slidably fitted within a differentially formed cylinder 51. The outerface of piston 50 is cut away as shown at 52 and a ring 53, therefore, bears against the side of valve 17. The smaller diameter of piston 50 is provided with piston rings 54. The space lying within ring 53 communicates with the chamber behind the piston by means of passages 55 which are drilledthrough the piston from its front to its rear-face. A coil spring 56 which is located within cylinder 51 yieldingly forces the piston into contact with valve 17; The inner travel of the piston away from the valve'is limited by shoulder 57 and the outward travel of the piston toward the Valve islimited by a fillister-head screw 58 which passes through the piston with a working fit. The cylinder behind, the plston is 111 communication with one of the chambers 3e, 36, or 38, as-the case'may be, by means of a steam passage 59 provided for that purpose. By means of these balancing devices the valve is held in contact with the lips 47 of the inlet ports and as the motive fluid is free to circulate on both sides of the valve, on the major portion of the top of the same, and through the ends, it is practically .bal-' anced. The spaces within rings 53 of the balancing devices being subjected to, the

pressure within thechambers 34, 36, or 38, will decrease the steam pressure tending to force the valve in contact with the lips of the inlets by an amount equal to the area of this space whenathe'fiuid inlets with Which the balancing devices are associated are closed by the valve; that is, when fluid inlet 32 is closed by the valve, the balancing device communicating with chamber 38 will relieve the fluid pressure on the valve tending to force it toward the lips of inlets 32 and 33,'as when inlets 32 and 33 are closed, the pressure within chambers 38 and 39 will be less than the pressure within the steam chest.

The admission of steam tothe steam chest is controlled by a balanced piston valve 60 which may be operated by means of a piston 61 secured to its stem'62 and which piston is reciprocable within a steam cylinder 63. The ports 64 and 65 to saidgcylinder will be under the control of a device which will cause the main valve 60 to either be fully closed or fully open; that is, thevalvewill have no intermediate positions. 7

The nozzles 40 are formed by properly shaped vanes secured to block 18 by means of dowel pins 71. r

The ports 25, 26, and'27 in the valve are so proportioned and arranged that the'inlets 28 to 33 will be opened successively; that is, inlet 28 will be fully open before inlet 29 is opened, and inlets 29 and 28 will remain fully open while inlets 30 to 33 are opened.- Inlet 33 will be the last to open andthe first to close on the return movement of the valve. I

The valve is preferably worked by a hydraulic device consisting of a cylinder 72 provided with inlet and outlet pipes 73, Tat;

a piston 75, and apiston rod '4' 6 which passes with 'the' hydraulicdevice, it isonly neces sary to screw the worm'into mesh with the rack the proper amount. The worm is longitudinally slotted as shown in Fig. 5 and after it is in place, a key 81 which fits'the slot of the worm'and is riveted to a support 82 at 83, is inserted into the slot'of the worm andsup-port 82 is'then bolted to the 5 cylinder at 84', the supported member projecting through an opening formed forth-at purpose in'the cylinder; From this it will be seen that as the piston}? 5 is reciprocated and as the worm is prevented from turning, the valve will be reclprocated'; the worm slidin on the key 81 which serves as'a feathe i'.

The hydraulic device will preferably be operated by anoil relay under the control. of the turbine governor.

In accordancewith theprovisions of the patent statutesl have described the principle of operation of my-invention together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the in VGIli3l0I1 CLIl be carrled out 1n other ways.

Having thus described my invention,-w1'1at I claim is; V H

1. Incombi'nationin a turbine, a plurality of fluid inlets for deliveringmotive fluid to the working passage of the turbine, a valve for progressively opening said inlets-,ineans for 'controlling 'the operation of saidr valve, a main admission valve, a piston for acadmission valve for controlling the delivery of motive fluid to sald slide valve and arranged in series with said slide valve, a pressure actuated piston for actuating said main admission valve, a cylinder inclosing said piston and provided with pressure delivery means for delivering actuating pressure to either side of said piston whereby said admission valve is either fully opened or closed.

8. In combination in a turbine, a pluralityof fluid delivery nozzles, an arc-shaped slide valve, moving in an arc-shaped path, for controlling the delivery of motive fluid to said nozzles, means for actuating said valve to progressively open or close said nozzles, a main admission valve for controlling the operation of said slide valve, and actuating means, for said main admission valve for either fully opening or fully closing said main admission valve, and comprising an actuating piston connected to the valve, a cylinder inclosing said piston and means for delivering actuating pressure'to either side of the piston. V

4. In combination in a turbine, a series of fluid inlets, a plurality of nozzles associated with each inlet, a hollow areshaped ported slide valve arranged to progressively control theeffective area of said inlets and having the inlet and outlet ports located in adjacent faces of the valve, and means for actuating the valve.

5. In combination in an elastic fluid turbine a series of groups of fluid inlets, a collecting chamber associated with each group, a plurality of nozzles associated with each chamber, a main admission valve, and a ported hollow slide valve arranged to progressively control the effective area of said inlets.

6. In combination in an elastic fluid turbine a series of groups of fluid inlets, a hollow ported valve arranged to progressively control the effective area of said inlets and to slide on the arc of a circle concentric with the turbine rotor, means for actuating said valve, and balancing devices for said valve arranged opposite said inlets.

7. In combination in an elastic fluid turbine a number of groups of fluidinlets, a steam chest, a curved hollow slide valve arranged to progressively control the effective area of said inlets, and fluid pressure reliev- &

ing devices yieldingly holding said valve toward said inlets.

8. In combination in an elastic fluid turbine, a steam chest divided into two charmbers one of which is curved on the arc of a circle concentric with the turbine rotor, a hollow arc-shaped slide valve located in said curved chamber, an actuating rod for the valve extending through the turbine casing and an adjustable articulate connection between said rod and said valve.

9. In combination in an elastic fluid'turbine a curved distributing slide valve, an actuating device for said valve containing a rod extending through the turbine casing, a rack and worm connection between said valve and said rod, and means for preventing said gear from turning.

10. In combination in a turbine a number of fluid inlets, a valvecommon to all of said inlets for controlling the delivery of fluid therethrough, means for counterbalancing the fluid pressure on said valve, and means for varying the counter-balancing force exerted on said valve in proportion to variations in the fluid pressure on the valve.

11. In combination in a turbine a plurality of fluid inlets, a valve common to all of said inlets andadapted to progressively open and close the inlets, and means for counterbalancing the fluid pressure on said valve and for exerting progressively increasing pressure on the valve as it is moved to open the inlets.

12. In a parallel flow turbine, a plurality of fluid inlets to the turbine and a hollow arc-shaped valve through which the fluid entering the inlets passes, said valve having radially disposed fluid inlets and lateral disposed fluid outlets formed therein.

18. In a parallel flow turbine a plurality of substantial axially disposed nozzles for delivering fluid to the working passages of the turbine, an arc-shaped hollow valve for controlling the delivery of fluid to said nozzles located substantially concentric with the turbine rotor and having fluid inlet ports formed in the peripheral face thereof and fluid delivery ports formed in the lateral face thereof, and means for actuating said valve.

14. In a parallel flow turbine, a plurality of inlets for delivering fluid to the Working passages of the turbine, an arc-shaped hollow valve for controlling the delivery of fluid to said inlets, said valve having fluid inlet ports disposed at right angles with fluid outlet ports formed therein and means for counterbalancing the fluid pressure on the outlet side of said valve.

15. In combination in a turbine, a series of fluid inlets, a plurality of nozzles associated with each inlet, a hollow arc-shaped ported slide valve arranged to progressively control the elfective area of said inlets and having the inlet and outlet ports located in adj aeent faces of the valve, means for actuating saidvalve, a main admission valve for controlling the delivery of motive fluid to said slide valve and actuating means therefor for either fully opening or fully closing the main admission valve.

16. In combination in a turbine, a series of fluid inlets, fluid delivery nozzles associated with saidinlets, a hollow slide valve provided with graduated fluid delivery ports for progressively opening said inlets, a main admission valve for controlling the delivery of motive fluid to said slide valve and actuating means for either fully opening or fully closing said main admission valve.

17. In combination in a turbine, a series of fluid inlets, fluid delivery nozzles associated with said inlets, a hollow slide valve provided with graduated fluid delivery ports for progressively opening said inlets, a main admission valve for controlling the delivery of motive fluid to said slide valve, actuating means for either fully opening or fully closing said main admission valve, comprising a piston operatively connected to the stem Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing'the- Commissioner of Patents, V 7 Washington, D. 0.7 i

of the valveQa cylinder inclosing the piston and means for delivering actuating fluid to one end or the other'of said cylinder.

18. In combination in a turbine, a series of fluid inlets, fluid delivery nozzles associated with said inlets, a hollow slidevalve provided with graduatedfiuid delivery ports for progressively opening said inlets, a main admission valve for controlling the delivery of motive fluid to said slide valve, actuating means for either fully opening or fully closing said main admission valve, comprising a piston operatively connected'to the stem of the valve, a cylinder inclosing the piston and means for delivering actuating fluid to one end or the other of said cylinder, and a fluid actuated plunger-for moving said slide valve to open one'or 'more of said in lets.

subscribed my name this 14th day ofMarch, eEo. WESTINGHOUSE.

Witnesses:

C. MGGI-IEE', ANNA CLoHERTn In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 

